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POWER HAY summa Filed Aug. 4, 1940 June 30, 1,942. F. swEDBERG POWER HAY STACKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4, 1940 QNK.

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June'30, 1942. F. swEDBERc-s POWER HAY STACKER Filed Aug'. 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jui"`30, -1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rowEn HAY s'raoxsn.

Fred Swedberg, Graceville, Minn. Application Aims 4, 1940, serial No. 351,410

1 claim. (ci. 214-140)- This invention relates to power rakes of a type which is particularly adapted for use in 4gathering hay,`

There are several types of self-propelled power rakes known at the present time, but one type in common use today has at least one distinct disadvantage. In that type it is necessary for the tractor or power plant of the raking apparatus to propel the apparatus over the ground a considerable distance in order to eiect elevation of the rake to a height sufficient to deposit its load upon a stack of hay. During the time the rake is running across the ground which is usually uneven a considerable quantity of hay falls therefrom and in addition should the day be windy a large amount of the hay will be blown ofi' the rake.

It is, therefore, a general object of my Yinvention to provide a power hay stacker in which the apparatus may be run along the ground to gather the hay upon the rake mechanism and in which said rake mechanism can be elevated in substantially a vertical direction with the remainder of the apparatus stationary with the result that the load can be elevated immediately adjacent the stack upon which it is to be deposited.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rake structure which can be quickly and easily connected to and disconnected from a conventional farm tractor so that the tractor can be used for other purposes by the removal of a few connections with the rake mechanism'.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rake structure which is supported by wheels at its outer end and in which the wheels are connected to and steered by the steering mechanism of the tractor.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a rake element in which the level of the teeth of the rake is mounted substantially constant while said rake element is being elevated with a load thereon.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of simple yet elllcient means for elevating the rake element.

Another object of the invention is to provide means associated with the rake tines for retaining `hay upon the rake when it is being transportedx or elevated, said means being movable to free the hay when it is desired to dump the loader' These and other objects and advantages of the inention will'more fully appear from the follow g description made in connection with the a^companying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the views, and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved structure connected to a tractor;

outer end of a tine equipped with a hay re- I talner.

As shown in the drawings the tractor comprises a hood portion 3 which houses the motor. said hood portion and motor being supported by a suitable frame 4 which is connected at its rear end to a rear axle 5 which is adapted to drive rear wheels 6. It will be noted from the location of the rear axle 5 in Fig. 1 that said axle has an offcenter drive connection with the wheels, a structural arrangement which is peculiar rto some types of ytractors inuse today. Of course, the particular type of tractor construction has no importancel in this invention but is illustrative of a farm tractor of suitable type for use with my invention. The forward end of the tractor is supported by a pair of centrally located wheels I which are mounted on a post 8 which is rotatably mounted in a forward housing 9 and which post is rotated by suitable gearing connected to a steering shaft I0 for steering the front wheels 1. A gear II is shown to indicate any suitable form of power take-off from the power plant of the tractor itself.

The stacked structure includes a substantially rigid frame having side frame members I2 which are connected at their forward ends by an axle I3, the latter having mounted at its ends a pair of wheels I4 which are pivotally connected theretoon spindles I5. Short arms I6 extend rearwardly from said spindles and are connected by a connecting rod I'I so that said wheels will turn together. A link I8 connects an arm I9 which is secured to the tractor steering post 8 and the arm 20 which extends forwardly of the right-hand spindle I5. Thus when the front tractor wheels 'I are steered the same steering movement will be transmitted to the stacker frame front wheels I4 by said link I8.

The rear ends of the rigid stacker side frame members I2 are connected by a detachable cross piece' 2 I, any suitable type of connection between the ends of the cross piece 'and the adjacent side frame elements being provided. A pair of straps 22 extend from the rear cross piece 2| diagonally upwardly and forwardly to the tractor rear axle assembly 5 to which they are detachably secured as by a clamp element 23. A pair of laterally extending braces 22a connect forward portions of the tractor to the side frame element I2.

Rising diagonally upwardly from adjacent the ends of each side frame is a pair of converging bracing elements 24 and'25 and it is preferred that an intermediate` brace element 2li be incorporated toI add strength to the assembly. Connecting the points of convergence of the upwardly extending brace'elements at either side of the rigid frame construction isv a cross bar 21 lwhich securely holds the brace elements at n either side of the frame in proper position. SaidA port relative to the substantially rigid frameconnected to the tractor.

Extending across the rear portion ofthe stationary form is a removably mounted rotatable shaft 3| which is suitably journalled in the ends of the stationary frame side members l2 and said shaft 3| carries a pair of drums 32 adjacent the ends thereof and the shaft is connectedby means of bevel gears 33 and 34 to a forwardly extending shaft35, the latter being detachably connected by a universal joint 36 to a short shaft section' 31"which is connected in turn by' a bevel gear 38 to the bevel gear Il which is driven by thepower plant of the tractor. The short shaft section 31 and bevel gear 38 may comprise a permanent part of the tractor power taker-olf. If desired a pair of journalled brackets 39 may aid in supporting the rear cross shaft 3| adjacent the point where the bevel gear 33 is secured upon said shaft.`

Suitable cables 40 extend from said drums to the forward portion of the side frame elements and lie around suitably journall'ed pulleys .4| from which the cables extend backwardly and upwardly to the connection between the swingable' rake supporting frame elements 28 and the forwardly and upwardly extending legs 29. Thus when the cables are wound upon the drums 32 the rear portion of the rake supporting frame will be swung forwardly toward the forwardly positioned pulleys 4|. Of course, it is to be understood that the power take-off of the tractor is provided witha conventional clutch mechanism to engage and disengage the winding drums 32 with respect to the power takeoff.

l -Extending across the forward portion of the swingable rakev supporting frame is a shaft 42 whose ends are ``iournalled in each side of said swingable frame, and said shaft carries a pair of pulleys 43 as best shown in Fig. 2. Extending forwardly from the swingable frame elements are angled brackets 44 whose-forward ends are pivotally connected at 45 to the underside of a .rake structure which comprises a vertical rear frame 46 and. a plurality of rake teeth 41 mounted on cross pieces 48, 49, and 50. It should be noted that the pivotalconnections 45 between `the brackets 44 andv the rake are'positioned rearsupporting frame is supported y points'- somewhere adjacent the en ds of the rake. The cables 5I extend substantially directly rearwadly from the bolts 52 and beneath the pulleys 43 andv thence upwardly where their upper ends are secured to the short arm`53 of an angular lever which has a long arm 54 which in .the full line position shown in Fig, 1 extends rearwardly of the shaft 21 upon which an angled lever is mounted. Another cable 55 connects the point 53a on the short lever 53 with the rearward end 54a of the long lever portion and from the latter point the cable extends downwardly and has a hook 56 which is connected to any suitable stationary portion to the tractor or stationary frame structure. As best shown in Fig. 1 when the rake is in lowered position the cables 55 and 5| exert a nearly horizontal backward pull on the vertical rake portion 45 so that the rake will be securely held against forward tilting. As the rake is raised, however, the forward end of its i supported frame will swing upwardly in an arc and as it swings upwardly the rake will be brought in slightly closer to the upper end of the short angled lever arm 53jl said lever arm remaining relatively stationary due to the pull exerted thereon by the tendency of the rake to tilt forwardly, and since the rake has moved to a position slightly closer to the upper end yof said lever arm 53, there will be some slack in the cable 5| which is taken 'up by tilting of the rake relative 'to its supporting brackets 44. In Fig.- 1 the rake supporting frame is shown in partially elevated position in dotted lines and the dotted representation of a' portion of a rake shown at 41a illustratesthe relative pivotal movement between the rake and the brackets which support the same so that as the rakeis elevated it will be maintained in a substantiallyhorizontal position until the load has been lifted to the desired height.` Thereupon the end of the cable 55 which up to this point is maintained secured by the hook 56 is lreleased and the levercomprising the angularly disposed arms 53 and 54 will pivot forwardly on the cross shaft 21 on the upper portion of the frame work and the rake will tilt forwardly and downwardly to the position 41 shown in Fig. 1, and the load will fall from the rake to the stack upon which it is intended to be deposited. The pivot 45 connecting the brackets 44 to the' rake .is so located that the rake has a tendency to tilt forwardly when not restrained by the cables 5|, but the unbalanced pivotal support of the rake is such that no great forward tilting tendency is present and consequently it is not necessary to exert any great pull on the vertical portion of'the cable 55 52 which arey preferably positioned at spaced 75 in order to release said cable from the pin 56a to which' the hook is normally secured. After a load has been dumped from the rake the cable 55 can be pulled downwardly by the .operator of the tractor and hooked in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the rake may then be lowered to the full line position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon it is ready for use to gather up another rake load of hay or other material being harvested. Naturally as the rake supporting frame is being swung downwardly and backwardly and the rake lowered toward the ground, the ends of the cables :5| which are secured to the rake will move slightly further away from the upper end of the `2,288,496 zontal portions of the rake supporting brackets I have provided means associated with the rake for retaining hay thereupon when it is being elevated and transported. From the plan view in F18. 2 it will be seen that several of the tines are slotted as at 51 at their outer ends to permit in each case a tooth 58 to project from a toothed pivot pin 59 upwardly through said tines, which, as best shown in Fig. 7. are hollow. Each of the teeth 58 has an operating rod 6l! connected thereto, said rod extending back through the hollow tine to connect with an angle iron 6| which extends across the yrake unit at the rear thereof. The angle iron l is slidably mounted upon short rods 52 which at their forward ends are connected to the rear lower cross member 50 of the rake by suitable means such as a nutted bolt 63. The rods 82 extend through the vertical web 9i the angle iron 5l, and between said vertical web and a nut 54 on the rear end of the rod 62 is a helical spring 65. This spring normally tends to urge Vthe angle iron 5| toward the rake lower cross member 50 and consequently urges the tooth operating rods 6U forwardly to maintain the teeth 5B in the angular dotted position shown in Fls.'7. A pair of brackets 5B are mounted on the upper side of the rake cross member 50 and are pivotally connected at 51 to a generally right-angled lever 68 whose longer arm extends rearwardly as shown in Fig. 3. When the rake ,is lowered the elongated arm of the angular lever 58 will engage a cross member 58 extending between forward portions of the frame side members i2, and as said lever engages the cross member 69 the short arm ofthe lever 68 will'force the angle iron 6| and. tooth operating rods 50 rearwardly to lbring the teeth on said rods to the full line position shown in Fig. '7.

it the center of the transverse rake member 50 a short bar 10 is secured to said cross member at its under side and extends rearwardly thereof through a suitable aperture in the angle iron El. The bar 1li is provided with notches 12 which, as best shown in Fig. 5, have rearwardly and upwardly slanting portions and forward v -i tical portions. Mounted immediately above the bar 10 and connected to the angle iron 5| is a bracket 13 which in. commotion with a guide 14 vertically supports and slidably guides ay latch member 15. The latch 15 carries a helical spring 16 which is compressed between an angularly bent portion ef bracket 13- and a collar 11 adjacent the lower end of vtlilelatch 15. Thus the latch 1s normally urged downwardly.

,forward direction will similarly move the tooth operating rods 60 forwardly and bring each of the teeth to a vertical position. Thus the teeth will retain the hay against forward sliding movement of! of the ends of the tines.

After the load has been transported and elevated and is ready for dumping the latch cable When the rake is down andhas been loaded e able cable or rope 18 which preferably leads to a position adjacent the tractor controls and the 18 is again pulled to release the latch 15 from the notched bar 10, and the angle iron 6|, tooth operating rods 50 and teeth 58 will again move forwardly to bring the teeth to the-forwardly incllned position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7.

It is preferred that a seat 19 be formed in each of the slots 51 in the hollow tines which carry the teeth 58 to provide rests for the ends of the teeth 58 and also to some extent prevent straw or h ay from getting into the tines through the openings 51.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a rigid rake supporting structure which canl be quickly and easily securedto a conventional type of tractor such as is commonly used on the farm and can be just as easily disconnected from said tractor so that the latter can be put to other uses on the farm. The removable rear cross piece 2| and the removable drum carrying shaft 3l adjacent said cross piece permit the tractor to be driven into or out of the -frame and no great amount of lifting of the rake supporting frame. is r requiredl In addition the structure can beeasily maneuvered since the rear end of the frame is secured to the tractor and supported thereby and the forward end thereof is supported by steered wheels, the movements of which are controlled bythe steeringbf the 'front tractor wheels. Thus the apparatus can be stopped within a very short distance of the stack upon which the load is to to be deposited and the rakev elevated and tilted to deposit the load upon the stack without running a long distance over the@ ground to accomwithout departing from the scope of my inven- What is claimed'is: Y

1. In a hay rake and stacker, a main fram having an abutment member at its front end, a

vrake unit comprising a cross frame portion rake is elevated slightly to remove the angular lever 68 from contact with the cross lever 58. This will permit eachof the springs to urge thev angle iron il forwardly and upon release of the cable ll permit the latch 15 to drop in the right-hand notch of the bar 10 shown in Fig. 5.V

This slightmovement of the angle iron 8l in a mounted for movementI relative to said main frame abutment member, tines extending forwardly from said cross frame portion, teeth pivotally mounted on said tines and swingable upwardly from said tines or downwardly substantially flush therewith. tooth operating means connected to said teeth and adapted to contact said main frame abutment in one position of said movable cross frame member. said tooth operating means including means for swinging-said teeth upon movement of said rake cross frame relative to said main frame abutment. FRED SWEDBERG. 

